


I’m With You

by Fairylights4672



Category: Star Wars
Genre: F/M, Fix-it fic, I’m not a die hard SW fan so If something is wrong please don’t hurt me, M/M, Post TROS, if Abrams wasn’t going to do it right I may as well give it a go, minor plot changes but I hope it makes sense in the lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:00:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22022956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fairylights4672/pseuds/Fairylights4672
Summary: When Rey pulled away from his lips it was as if their connection had been severed, and she could immediately feel Ben fading away.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe/Finn (low-key background), Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 4
Kudos: 136





	I’m With You

When Rey pulled away from his lips it was as if their connection had been severed, and she could immediately feel Ben fading away. 

“No, no.” She tried to be firm in her words, but the two of them both heard the crack as she grasped desperately at him, anything to keep him upright and in front of her and, with her. 

“Rey..” He trailed off quietly. Rey set her jaw, and ignored the pricking at her eyes as she shook her head violently. “I’m tired.” 

“You’re not going anywhere.” The Jedi was resolute through her cracked and raw words, but she could feel that it wasn’t enough. He was ready to leave- already leaving. It felt as if their connection was slipping through her fingers like tiny grains of sand. 

“Rey,” he tried again, quieter this time. 

“No! Ben- listen to me.” She gripped his hands tightly, holding onto him, his flesh and bone. “We’re a- we’re a Dyad.” Rey hiccuped over her words. “You said it yourself. You and I- we both know what happens if you go.” 

Something slightly harder set in Ben’s eyes. 

“Please Ben.” She begged through a broken whisper. “If not for you, for me.” 

He didn’t respond. 

Rey closed her eyes in an attempt to clear her head, willing and screaming at time to just stop, or slow down or, give her time to think. Give them time to be together. Give him time to-

Be with me. 

He stopped slipping. The sand pulled itself together again, into a clump just enough to hold and hang onto. Rey grabbed hold of it with all she had, and dug her hands into it, tight enough that not even the force could rip it from her. 

It would not take him. 

Not if she had anything to do with it. 

“Say it.” She pleaded, opening her eyes again. Gently, Rey pressed their foreheads together, wanting to be touching and feeling their connection in as many places as physically possible. “Say you’ll stay. Say you’ll be with me. Please.” 

“I’ll be with you.” He managed back, voice dry and like it hadn’t been used in years.

“I’m with you.” 

-

Rey didn’t remember how they’d hauled one another back to the X-wing. She didn’t remember setting off back to the base, and she didn’t remember jumping to light speed. 

The Jedi felt as if she were watching herself, from another point of view. Feeling so detached from the outside world, was to be expected. Rey was far too busy keeping her connection with Ben, who was slumped in the seat behind her, open and flowing and alive. As long as he was alive. 

“Where are we going?” He rasped, and Rey heard herself answer, although she couldn’t figure out wether she’d used her mouth to explain. 

“The base. Back to my friends. They can help you, you’ll get the medical help you need there.”

“You’re taking me back to the Rebel’s base?” Ben answered almost dryly. “Rey- I’ll be shot on sight.”

“I won’t let that happen. Poe and Finn are acting General’s now, they’ll understand. I can make them understand.” She seemed to sound more like she was convincing herself than Ben. 

“How long will we stay?” It was his last question. He was tired. 

“Until you’re well enough to go. Then we’ll leave. We’ll go somewhere. Somewhere quiet. Where we won’t disturb the balance.” Rey said quietly. 

“Don’t close your eyes Ben. Wait until we’re there to rest.” It was more of a plead. 

“I’m with you.” Was the soft reply she got from behind her. 

And Rey’s doubts were quelled. 

-

When Rey hopped off of the X-wing, and her feet were on solid ground, she felt a small new wave of energy wash over her. 

She just needed to be strong for a little longer. For Ben. 

The Jedi didn’t even see them coming before she was scooped off of her feet by her friends. Breathing in the scent of Poe and Finn was one of the most soothing things she could’ve imagined at that moment. Part of her longed to hold them forever, thrilled that they were safe and relatively unharmed. But she knew it wouldn’t be long until her accomplice was discovered as well. 

And her accomplice needed help. 

“You’re not allowed to be angry at me.” Was the first thing Rey announced when she stepped back. The Generals shared a look, and turned back to her. 

“Why would we be angry at you Rey?” Poe asked slowly. 

“I’ve brought..someone back.” Rey turned and pulled herself back onto the X-wing, feeling the stares of her friends boring into her head. 

Ben was half awake, and breathing shallowly. The Jedi bit her lip in worry- she understood that there wasn’t much time for explanations. 

“Just hold on, ok?” The Jedi whispered. When all she got back was a slight nod, Rey hauled him up by the armpits, and almost immediately dropped him again when at least six blasters were aimed at the two of them. 

“Woah woah woah!” Rey unceremoniously let Ben flop back into the seat as she turned her back to him, shielding him from the onslaught of yelling and questioning that came towards them. 

“Rey! Are you out of your mind?!” Finn demanded. 

“What is he doing here?!”

“You can’t just bring him here!”

“Rey you’d better had a pretty good explanation for this or I swear-“ Poe hissed as he came closer, pushing Finn’s blaster down. He’d obviously realised what a scene they were causing. And the more people that knew of Ben’s presence, the more havoc would ensue. 

“I do!” Rey assured. Finn, in turn, stepped closer, clearly very interested in Rey’s hushed explanation. 

“In the battle,” Rey started hurriedly, “he fought by my side. I- I died, and he, he brought me back. Ben sacrificed himself, for me. And now he needs help.”

“ Kylo Ren , is a mass murderer. The very thing we’ve been fighting all this time. And you bring him here?! To the families of the millions he has killed?” Finn hissed. 

Rey opened her mouth, and focused on Poe, since he seemed to be the more open minded of the two. 

“Poe- Ben and I- we’re a Dyad.” Something seemed to click on her friends face, something grave and understanding. “And he’s dying. You know what happens if he doesn’t make it.” 

“I know.” 

“I don’t.” Finn butted in, obviously still furious. “What‘s a Dyad?” 

Poe chose to ignore his question, and instead turned to his left. “Rose! I need your help with something!” 

“Wha- no!” His friend raged beside him. “He’s not going anywhere until you explain to me what a Dyad is!” 

Poe huffed, turning to Finn as Rey gently helped Ben up once again, and awkwardly began the shuffle off of the X-wing, all whilst trying to keep him hidden from as many people as possible. 

“A Dyad,” Poe explained, “is a phenomenon, when two force users share the power of one individual, connecting them across time and space.” 

There was a pause, which was filled by Rey letting out little puffs and groans of effort as she ungracefully scrambled off of the X-Wing with Ben in tow. 

“They are...one?” Finn’s expression and tone has become softer, laced with confusion.

“Yes.” Poe nodded, signalling to Rose to help take half of Ben’s weight, and begin the trek to somewhere he could be treated, with no questions asked. 

“But why does that mean we have to treat him?” Finn asked, resentment returning as the two followed the women. 

“Because, Finn,” Poe sighed, rather darkly. “One of them dies..the other follows.”

-

Rey slept for fifty-six hours. 

Most of the time she dreamt. She dreamt of Palaptine, the Jedi’s, Finn, Poe and Ben. She dreamt of Leia and lightsabers.

But sometimes, it was dark. It was silent, and cold. And black. 

And all of a sudden Rey would feel a rush of life, of emotion and thought and touch and memory and people and hurt and beauty and hatred and- 

Ben. 

She felt him there a lot. She was sure he felt her too. It was comforting to know he was there, if the dreams got too bad and the noises became too loud. 

He was with her. 

And that was how it stayed, until she woke up. 

-

She was thirsty. 

That was the first thing Rey noticed. 

The second was that Poe was sat, chin on his knuckles and eyes glazed over. 

“Poe?” Rey croaked, and her friend blinked heavily.”

“Rey! You’re awake.” He pointed out, rather happily. 

“I’m thirsty.” She corrected. 

“Right- yes. I can imagine.” Her friend unhooked his own flask from his belt, handing it to her. 

Rey undid the cap with her clammy fingers, and sat up just enough so that most of the water gushed down her throat. 

“Don’t drink too much, you’ll make yourself sick.” Poe warned, and his friend nodded, giving him back the empty flask and wiping her mouth with her dirty shirt. 

She really needed to change. 

But that could wait. 

“How is he?” 

“Sleeping.” Poe murmured thoughtfully. It was clearly a topic that had been burdening him for several days. Rey could tell by his eyes. 

“Word got around. People are furious.” Her friend shook his head tiredly. “They want him gone. Or- dead.” 

“We’re not staying.”

Poe’s eyes cleared for a moment, only to cloud up again in confusion. 

“You’re going with him? Where?”

“Somewhere where we can keep the balance.” Rey sat up slightly, and it was only then that she let out a low groan of pain. There was an ache in the very fibre of her being. It felt as if there were a thousand different skeletons all crammed into one- into hers, and they were all bursting to get out. She was exhausted. 

“But why?” Poe asked. “I thought you hated one another.” 

“How can we?” Rey shrugged gingerly. “We’re a Dyad. I have a connection with him I could never have with anyone else. And- and for two people who have felt so alone their whole life, to find someone who- who knows you as well as yourself. It’s addicting. And important. I mean- you said it yourself, it’s a phenomenon. We should stick together.”

“I can understand that.” Her friend nodded thoughtfully. 

“Finn doesn’t.” It was more of a statement than a question. Poe glanced at her, and looked at the ground. 

“No. He doesn’t understand. You’ll have to talk to him because I- I’ve tried. There’s no getting through to him. He’s resolute.”

“In what?”

“He doesn’t care wether Kylo-...Ben, lives or dies. He wants him gone, kicked out and left on a planet with no means of getting off.” 

“Even though he knows it’ll kill me?” Rey didn’t want to be hurt, but she was. She could understand Finn’s hatred towards Ben, but wanting him dead, even when he knew it would kill her too? 

“He doesn’t seem to believe in the whole Dyad thing. Or- maybe he does. I don’t know. Listening to him’s like reading the scribblings of a mad man.” Poe groaned, running a hand over his face. “He’s just emotional. He needs time to process things. I wouldn’t take it personally.”

“I’ll try not too.” Rey couldn’t help but sigh. 

“Good.” The two were quiet for a moment, and Poe bit his lip. 

“You can ask me anything.” Rey reassured, feeling his apprehension. 

“What happened? On Exogol? To you?” He queried quietly. 

“Ben and I fought Palpatine together.” She explained softly. “Although- it ended up being me, that- killed him. And then- then it was dark. And cold. And empty. I felt like I was nowhere and everywhere. I was dead. 

‘But, I could feel him. He- he put his hand on me, like I did to the snake, and gave me the little life he had left. He- he wanted to go, he told me he was tired but I wouldn’t let him. I wouldn’t let him go. So he stayed, and I held onto him, and I got us here.”

Poe looked at her almost sadly for a moment. 

“No wonder you’re exhausted. That must have taken all of your strength.”

“It did. If he wasn’t- who he is, I would’ve just slipped away. It would’ve been easier.” Rey admitted quietly. 

They were silent for a moment. 

“And if he hadn’t had stayed? What would you have done?” 

“I’m not sure.” Rey admitted quietly. “Probably gone and hidden Luke and Leia’s lightsabers- somewhere where they wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands. And, lived out my last day there.” 

“Alone?”

“It would’ve been easier that way.” 

“Maybe for you.” 

Rey didn’t respond. 

“What are his injuries?” 

Poe’s eyes lightened slightly, despite his deep sigh at the conversation change. 

“His leg’s fractured, and he’s got a few cuts and bruises. But it’s mostly just mental recovery- we think. Although, we weren’t sure. I thought- maybe you could tell us how he’s doing. There’s only so much we can tell from outward appearance.” 

“Ok.” Rey nodded, pushing herself out of bed despite the overwhelming urge to just lie down, forever, and let the ache rest. 

“Rey, are you sure?” Poe immediately stood up. “You’re still weak.” 

“Take me to him.” 

-

Rey, it turned out, was still a lot weaker than she’d thought she was, and she only got to the small, tucked away cabin that Ben was being held in, with Poe’s arm wrapped around her waist and hers around his shoulder. 

People watched as her friend half dragged, half lifted her to the small hut, and she could hear the whispers and murmurs that followed their judgmental stares. 

Poe pushed open the door, and lead Rey into the small room. 

There was a young woman, Rey knew only by the name of Arita, gently changing a bandage on Ben’s arm. 

Finn was sat in the corner of the room, eyes dark until he glanced up at his friends. 

Rey only flashed him a small smile, before averting her attention to Ben. 

He looked pale. His shirt had been taken off, and Rey noticed how many scrapes and bruises he had, some huge and angry. A thin cloth covered him from the waist down, so Rey could only imagine how his leg looked. 

“Rey, what are you doing here?” Finn caught her attention as he stood up, making his way concernedly over to her. 

“I’m ok.” She reassured, still realising how breathless she was from the short distance. “Poe said you needed to know how he was.”

Finn shot Poe a glare over Rey’s shoulder, and the man that was holding her up raised a hand in surrender. 

“That can wait Rey. You’re still weak, there’s no way you’re up for this.” 

“No, no, I’ll be ok Finn.” She reached down and squeezed his hand tightly. “This is important.”

Her friend opened his mouth to protest, before just huffing through his nostrils. 

“Fine. But if you’re in there for too long, I will drag you out.” 

“I know.” She smiled gently, before stepping forward. Poe gingerly let go of her, and Rey began the short but wobbly distance to Ben’s bedside. 

The Jedi took a deep breath, and reached for the hand laying on his abdomen. 

She took it. 

Everything went dark. 

She was standing in the dark, and there was nothing. 

“Ben?” She called. “Ben!” 

There was nothing. 

And suddenly, she heard a lightsaber behind her. 

Rey whipped around, and her breath caught in her throat. 

Kylo Ren stood before her, with a gleaming, blood red lightsaber in his grip. 

She swallowed tightly. 

It wasn’t real. 

“Ben.” She whispered. Kylo stepped forward. 

“Ben.” She closed her eyes. Rey heard him step forward again. 

“Ben.” She saw the light raise behind her eyelids, ready to strike her down. 

“Be with me.” 

And the light was gone. 

Rey didn’t open her eyes. She waited, trying to catch her breath and stop her shaking legs. 

She waited, for what felt like years but milliseconds and-

“I’m with you.” 

Rey’s eyes opened and he was there, and they were both sinking to their knees with their limbs entangled and breath heavy. 

“You’re alive.” Was the first thing she croaked, hands coming to the nape of his neck and pulling him closer. 

“You told me I had to be.” Was the soft chuckle she got in reply. 

“They wanted to check that you were well.” She explained softly. 

“I’m recovering.”

“How long do you need?” Ben shrugged gently, running his fingers over the slope of her shoulder. 

“I’m not sure. It could be minutes, or years. I’m trying to speed it up, so we can go, but- I’m not sure I can rush this.”

“And you shouldn’t.” Rey said firmly. “It’s important that you take this time. I’ll wait.”

“You shouldn’t have to wait forever.”

“But I will.” 

Ben just made a noise of acknowledgment, taking her hand that was gently cupping his cheek. 

“You’re weak.” He pointed out softly. 

“No, I’m ok.” 

“You should go Rey. Don’t burn yourself out.”

She nodded reluctantly. 

“Ill be back.” 

“I don’t doubt it. You’re difficult to get rid of.” And with that, he let go. 

Rey stumbled backwards as the light flooded into her eyes, and shapes formed and the warmth of Ben’s hand disappeared.

“Rey!” Poe was there to catch her when her legs gave out and she landed unceremoniously on her butt. 

“I’m ok.” The Jedi reassured, vision already blurring. 

“You need rest.” Finn looked concerned as Poe scooped her up into his arms. She put a hand out to stop him from moving, and turned to Finn. 

“He needs time.” 

And it was dark. 

-

As it turned out, Rey and Ben had different ways of getting their strength back. Whilst Ben slept non-stop, almost as if he was in a coma, Rey would awaken for a day or two, before collapsing again into a deep sleep for about five days. 

She supposed her energy would come back slower than Bens, as her body didn’t seem to want to just get it over and done with in one go. 

She hoped he wouldn’t mind. 

It was on one of these days, about two weeks later, that her eyes fluttered open, and Finn was by her side. 

“Here.” Her friend put a flask into her hand, which she emptied in about 20 seconds flat.

Her friend helped her sit up, before putting a small plate of plain food on her lap. 

“Thank you.” 

“It’s ok.” Her friend sat on the side of her bed, by her feet, as Rey began to devour the piece of bread she’d been given. 

“How long?” She asked. 

“Four days.” 

“Better than before.” 

“A little.” Finn nodded. 

“And Ben?” 

“He’s still asleep. But Arita seems to think he’s restless. They reckon he’ll be awake soon.”

“What do we do if he wakes up when I’m asleep?” She frowned. 

“Well, it wouldn’t matter if you were awake or asleep. The two of you aren’t going anywhere until you can keep yourself awake for more than 48 hours.” Her friend shrugged. 

“But that could be months.” 

“Then you’ll have to wait months.” Finn was clearly not changing his mind on this, so the Jedi didn’t say any more. “Why do you even want to go with him? You can still be a- a Dyad or whatever, if you’re on opposite sides of the universe.” 

“It’s just- I don’t know. It’s difficult to describe. It’s like- everything feels right, when I’m with him. I’d be- disconcerted if we were apart. It’d be like a nagging in the back of my mind.” 

“You’ve ignored the nagging so far.” Her friend countered. 

“Well, clearly not well enough. That’s why we ended up here.” 

Finn sighed. 

“What’s wrong?” She asked softly. 

“I’m just worried about you Rey. Running off to the farthest corner of the galaxy to live out your days with Kylo Ren- I mean it’s not exactly the best plan.” 

“He’s not Kylo Ren anymore though.” She insisted. 

“How do you know that?” Finn looked at her rather harshly. 

“He saved me.” 

“Because he needs you.” Her friend shuffled closer, body language desperate as he attempted to get her to understand her point of view. 

“What do you mean?” Rey frowned. 

“You said it yourself Rey. You’re a Dyad. One of you dies, so does the other. Obviously he saved your life, it’s self preservation.” 

“No- no that’s not true.” She insisted, sitting up more. She was angry that Finn would even suggest it. Logically, she knew he had a point, and there was no way he could understand the bond the two force users had between them, but she was still angry that he couldn’t see it. 

“How do you know?” 

“Because, I know him.” Rey insisted. 

“No you don’t. Rey, you don’t know the first thing about him!” Her friend said exasperatedly, and he looked like he wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. 

“You don’t understand. It’s not like anything you could comprehend Finn.” Her tone was almost angry. Finn stood, and crossed his arms over his chest defensively, clearly offended. 

“Really? Because I’m pretty sure I know manipulation when I see it. You want to run off with a man you barely know, who killed so many people. People you loved Rey!”

“He is a victim as much as anyone else that’s suffered at the hands of The First Order.” 

Finn looked as if she’d just slapped him. 

“How can you say that?” He breathed, and Rey hated the way he looked at her- as if she’d just sprouted a second head. “He’s a murderer!” 

Rey had had enough of this conversation, and pulled herself up onto her feet. 

“What’s the point of this conversation? What do you want to do with him?”

“I want him gone! Obviously!” He cried. “We’re using valuable resources on someone who doesn’t deserve them! He can die for all I care!”

And there it was. 

The punch to the gut Rey has been expecting, but would never be quite ready for. 

When she shoved past her friend, it felt as if things would never be the same. 

-

Rey sat against the fallen log, deep in the forest, with her knees drawn up to her chest. 

She was so hurt that Finn would say something like that. The Jedi could understand his frustration, but it upset her that he didn’t even attempt to understand her point of view. 

And there was a small part of her that actually believed Finn wouldn’t care if she died, just so long as it meant Kylo Ren was dead. 

“You’re upset.” 

Rey looked up, and smiled gently as Ben stopped in front of her. 

Even in sleep, the two of them had managed to keep their line of communication open. Rey supposed that was probably part of the reason she was still so exhausted. But she didn’t mind. She wouldn’t have had it any other way. 

“It’s nothing. I had an argument with Finn.” She explained, before patting the spot beside her. Ben moved to sit beside her, placing an arm on the log behind her, as she huddled up and put her hand on his knee. 

Rey had taken the executive decision not to tell anyone about the kiss in the throne room, or their unspoken romance that was currently not being mentioned between the two of them. She thought it would send Finn over the edge, and she wasn’t even sure Poe would understand. 

“What was it about?” He asked. 

“He doesn’t like you. He said you were using me, and he said, for all he cares, you can die.” 

“I thought he knew we’re a Dyad.”

“He does.” She looked up at him, as it dawned on Ben’s face. 

“Oh. Well, I can see why you had an argument.”

Rey sighed. 

“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Probably. I don’t know, Poe will probably make us apologise to one another.” She shrugged defeatedly. “How are you?”

“Almost ready.” Was his hopeful reply, and she smiled at his tone. It was rare to hear it in him. “And you?” 

Her smile left. 

“I can’t do it like you. I want to just rest in one solid block, but my body won’t let me. I keep sleeping for like, five days, then being awake for one or two. I think it might be a long time until I’m fully well.”

“That’s alright.” Ben reassured. “There’ll be all the time in the world for you to rest. There’s no rush. We’ll decide where we want to go, I’ll get us there, and you can sleep.” 

“Finn said he’s not going to let that happen until I’m well.” Rey huffed. 

“Why not?” He frowned. 

“I don’t know. I think he thinks you’re going to kill me in my sleep if we’re left alone together.”

Ben didn’t say anything. 

Rey sighed deeply. 

“I just thought he’d understand. We’ve always been so close, and- now it just feels like he doesn’t care at all.”

“I think it’s the opposite.” Ben murmured softly beside her. “I think maybe he cares a little too much.” 

Rey looked up at him, and frowned sadly. 

“Then why would he say he wanted you dead?”

“Maybe he’s just in denial of the fact, that someone he loves so much, could be so intertwined, with such an awful person.” Ben looked back at her, and her gaze softened almost completely. 

“You’re not an awful person.” She argued gently, as she squeezed his knee gently. 

“Your friend would disagree.”

“My friend doesn’t know you like I do.” 

“Rey?” She heard someone call her name, and suddenly her hand dropped to the floor. And Ben was gone. 

“Rey!” Poe emerged into the clearing. “There you are.” He crossed the dirt and helped her up. “We need to talk.”

“About what?”

“You need to have a conversation with Finn.” 

-

“Poe, I’m serious. I don’t have anything to say to him.” Rey protested as she was half dragged, half carried back towards the base. 

“Then think of something.” Her friend huffed. “I’m not going to be the peace keeper between you two. You need to sort this out.”

“It’s not my fault!” She argued back. “You completely understood, I don’t know why he finds it so hard.”

“Because he’s blinded.” Poe sighed, stopping a little away from the hut Rey assumed Finn was inside. “He loves and cares about you so, so much. He just doesn’t want you to get hurt.”

“I know.” She sighed, “I just, I just think he didn’t have to be so harsh about it.” 

“Well this is the conversation you need to have with him.” Poe explained softly. Rey sighed at her feet and nodded, following her friend inside, as he closed the door behind him. 

“Poe, I cant believe you’re making us do this.” Finn immediately protested. Poe didn’t say anything, and sat down in a chair in the corner of the room. 

Finn glanced at Rey, and crossed his arms defensively over his chest. 

“I’m not taking back anything I said. I meant it all.” 

Rey bit her lip. 

“Look- Finn.” She sighed. “I get why you don’t like him. I don’t blame you, and I can understand why you think we’re all crazy for letting him stay here. But they’re not doing it for him. I mean, Poe, do you like him?” She asked. 

Her friend shook his head. 

“He’s not my favourite person Rey, I won’t lie.”

“Exactly. But you’re helping him because you don’t want me to die. That’s all it is.” She turned back to Finn.

“But it’s not for you, is it?” Her friend sighed, clearly annoyed his point wasn’t being understood. 

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a thing to help you for everyone else. But you’re helping him, because you want too. You care about him.”

“You’re angry because I..care about him?” She repeated. 

“I’m angry because I can see that he’s manipulated you into looking past who he really is. He’s an awful person, and for some reason he’s got you to pretend he’s not. And- I mean, how do we even know he’s telling the truth about the whole Dyad thing? How do we know that wasn’t just a lie to get Rey to help him?”

“He’s not lying.” Rey said firmly. 

“How do you know?”

“Because I can sense it Finn! That’s like the whole point.” She cried exasperatedly. 

“Or maybe you’re sensing something that he’s created and convinced you is a connection.”

“He wouldn’t do that.” She rebutted. 

“He’s blown up planets Rey! That is the exact kind of thing he would do!”

“No. No he wouldn’t. He’s not like that anymore!” She shot back. 

“Rey, are you serious?! Are you even listening to yourself right now?!” Finn strode towards her. “You’re defending a mass murde-“ as he took her by the shoulders, a wave of emotion shot through Rey, and they both jumped back. 

Rey gasped and her eyes widened, as she stared at Finn, who looked equally as shocked. 

“You’re in love with him.” He whispered. 

Rey was too shocked to answer, even when Poe shot up and strode over to them. 

“What?!” He demanded. “Rey is that true?”

“You-“ she whispered, staring at Finn. “You- you’re force sensitive.” 

Poe’s eyes widened even more, and he rounded on Finn, who was just staring back at Rey, dumbfounded. 

“What?!” He looked between the two, expecting some kind of answer. “Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on!?”

“I-“ Rey tried to get out. 

“Rey.” 

She whipped around at the voice behind her, only to see Ben, looking gravely back at her. 

The calls and questions from Poe and Finn sounded far away and tinny in her head. 

“Ben? What is it?” She asked. 

“Somethings wrong.” He shook his head, and the Jedi took a step forward, concern running through her, top to toe. 

“What? What is it?” 

“Rey, someone’s here. Someone’s in here with me.” 

And he was gone. 

Rey stumbled backwards with a gasp. 

“Rey! What’s going on?” Poe demanded, attempting to slow her down as she pushed herself up again. 

“Someone’s- somethings wrong. I think someone’s trying to kill Ben.” 

Poe and Finn exchanged a dark look, before taking off into a sprint to follow Rey, who was already racing ahead. 

She could hear her heart in her throat, as dread took its place in the middle of her chest. 

She tried to reach out to him, feel his presence, but there was nothing. 

She tried to convince herself it was just because she wasn’t concentrating hard enough. 

Rey raced through the base, friends not far behind. She willed herself to go faster as the cabin approached painfully slowly, and part of the Jedi was convinced she was too late. 

Rey threw open the door. 

Arita was stood before Ben, tears streaming down her face and blaster in hand, shaking as she pointed it at Ben’s head. 

Rey watched as her shaking finger began to squeeze the trigger, and the world almost slowed down. 

“Stop!” Rey threw out her hand, and Arita’s was forced into a flat palm, the blaster slipping from her grip. 

But she was fast, and caught it with her other hand, this time rounding on Rey and the two Generals who had crammed into the room after their friend. 

“Arita, you don’t have to do this.” Rey breathed, putting her hands up in surrender. 

“I- I- I do.” Her hands were shaking, and the woman was sobbing. “I can’t sleep at night Rey!” She cried. “Whenever I close my eyes- a- all I can see, is  him .” She spat. “He killed my family. He’s the reason they’re all dead!” 

“Killing him won’t help you Ari,” Poe tried gently. “Murder isn’t the way to solve this.” He stepped forward slightly, but made his way quickly backwards again when Arita gripped the blaster with both hands, and much more intent. “You’re proving you’re better than him if you let him live.”

“He doesn’t deserve to live!” She cried. 

“I know, I know.” Poe agreed quietly. “But, Rey does, right? Rey saved us all, she hasn’t done anything wrong. If- If you kill him, you kill an innocent.” He reminded her. “She doesn’t deserve it, right?” 

Arita watched her for a moment, before her resolve strengthened. 

“She brought him here. She saved him. She’s as bad- as selfish.” Arita turned back to Ben, and Rey barely had time for her eyes to widen. 

“No!” A bolt of electricity shot from the Jedi, sending Arita slamming into the wall behind her, the stray shot flying off somewhere. 

Rey let out a cry and covered her mouth with her hand. 

“Arita!” She raced to her side. The woman was slumped over, searing scar across her entire middle. “Oh my god- I- I’m so sorry- I didn’t-“ 

“Rey, you have to save her.” Finn whispered behind her, and the Jedi tried to shake off her guilt and fear.

“Right, right. Yeah.” She gently put her hand over the woman’s middle, and closed her eyes. 

Rey searched for something to give her, a spark of light or hope, but she couldn’t find anything. Her racing thoughts clouded her mind, and she was very aware that she was crying, only made worse when she realised she was severely running out of time. 

“Come on, come on, please,” she pleaded with whoever was listening, becoming frantic as she searched. 

Rey heard movement beside her, and then a warm, and large hand over hers.Her eyes opened, eyelashes sticking together momentarily, and she looked up at Ben. 

“Ben- I-“ she whispered, and only when he glanced back at him did she realise how afraid she really looked. 

“I know.” He squeezed her hand. “Focus.” 

Rey nodded, wiping her nose with her spare hand and taking a shaky breath, before closing her eyes. 

She focused on the connection, flowing between their connected hands. She focused on opening the doors of that up to a third party, and letting their force flow into Arita’s limp body. 

Rey breathed deeply, and heard Ben do the same beside her. 

Her eyes opened again when she heard Arita jolt forward with a wheezing breath, and Rey snatched her hand back, afraid of hurting the woman again. 

Arita didn’t open her eyes, but breathed deeply. Ben took her hand, and pulled Rey back slightly, allowing Poe to delicately move Arita from the ground to the bed Ben had previously been sleeping on. 

Finn burst back in, with two other people in tow, who immediately started fussing over Arita. 

“My god- what happened here?” One of them asked. 

Rey turned, and ran. 

-

Rey watched her shaking hands, and swallowed tightly, balling them into fists and tucking them close to her body. 

She took a deep, shaky breath, and watched the night sky, willing her tears to disappear. 

“What have I done?” She whispered. 

“It was an accident.” Ben sat down next to her, and she almost burst into a whole new round of sobs. 

“I’m dangerous.”

“You can learn to control it.” He reassured. We’ll learn how to control it, together.” Ben gently held out his hand, in more of a question than a statement. 

Rey bit her lip, and took it shakily, still keeping her other close to her body. 

“It doesn’t matter though. There’s always going to be moments like that, when I can’t control it. I’ll always be a Palpatine.” She almost choked on the word. 

There was nothing she hated more than the word. Rey would do anything, to not be a Palpatine. Being a nobody was better than being a Palpatine. 

“You’re not a Palpatine. You’re nothing like a Palpatine.” Ben reassured gently. 

“You saw what I did to her Ben. And the carrier. I-“ she swallowed down her cries. “He’ll always be apart of me.”

“Listen to me Rey.” she met his eye for the first time, and she saw a deep and resolute emotion, bubbling in them. “You are not a Palpatine. You’re the one that defeated the Palpatine. You might not be a Skywalker, or- or an Organa, but you’re Rey. And that’s enough. That’s good.” 

“I’ll be a Palpatine until I can learn to control it.” She said, almost harshly. 

“Not to me.” 

“How is that enough?” The Jedi whispered. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“You- you’re the son of Han Solo, and Leia Organa. You’re a Skywalker, Ben. How can you see me on the same level as you? How can you see me as more then my flaws? When they’re so huge?”

“I’m just returning the favour.” He said softly. 

Rey almost smiled. 

“I can’t stay here Ben. I’m too dangerous.” 

“I understand. When do we leave?” He asked, following as she stood up. 

“Tonight. Now. As soon as we can.” Rey suddenly swayed on her feet. She blinked hazily as her vision became lopsided. 

“Rey?” 

“M- m- maybe- not just now-“ she slurred together, before her legs gave out underneath her. 

-

When she woke up, Rey was alone. 

She grasped her bearings for a moment, before pulling herself out of bed. Noticing a small flask of water, and an apple next to her cot, she drank greedily, but left the apple. 

Wandering into the base, in search of anyone she knew, only made Rey more confused and disorientated. Where were Finn, Poe and Ben? Was Ben alright? Was Arita alright? How long had she been out?

“Rey!” A voice came from behind her, and a wave of relief washed over Rey as she saw Finn coming up behind her. “Hey, are you ok? You look lost.”

“How long have I been out?”

“About six days.” He admitted, steadying her slightly. 

“Arita?”

“Asleep, last time I looked. But she’ll be fine.” 

“Where are Ben and Poe?” 

“I’ll take you to them.” He reassured, before hesitating. “Just..so long as we can talk later?”

“Yeah.” The Jedi nodded a bit. “Yeah, that’ll be nice.”

-

“Poe!” Her friend was stood outside of the hut that Ben had previously been resting in, and Rey assumed the one that was now taken by Arita. 

“Rey! Good to see you’re awake.” He smiled genuinely. 

“How is Arita?”

“She’s awake. She’ll be fine. Your healing..thingy..worked a treat.” 

“Does anyone know? What happened?” Rey asked apprehensively. Whilst she knew she deserved it, the last thing she wanted was to be cast out by the people she’d call family, over something that really, truly was an honest mistake. 

“No. And they won’t. We’re saying she fell.” 

“But,” Rey frowned, “everyone will know you’re lying when she gets up and talking again.”

“Actually, Ben is taking care of that right now.” Poe stepped aside a bit, and Rey frowned deeply, lightly pushing the door open. 

Ben was stood over Arita, who was sat upright, eyes glazed over as she watched Ben’s hand. 

“-It was your accident. No one else had anything to do with it.” He said quietly. 

“I fell and hit my head.” Arita murmured back absently, “that’s why I’ve been in bed so long. It was my accident. No one else had anything to do with it.” 

Rey tutted from the doorway, as Ben sent her back to sleep with a wave of his arm. 

“She’ll be alright.” He reassured, before turning back to her and her friends. 

“I know. But you really didn’t have the right to do that.” Rey sighed a little, glancing between Ben and Poe. 

“It’s to keep you safe Rey.” Poe reassured. “It’s for the best.” 

“I know. That doesn’t mean it’ll sit right.”

“It won’t with me either.” Her friend reassured. “But-“ he hesitated, glancing between Ben and Rey, “you two- are..important. To the galaxy. You’re the last of the last, so if we have to- bend the rules a little, to keep you two safe, then that’s what we’ll do.” 

Finn nodded behind him, and it became obvious to Rey that the two of them had stayed up for long, dark nights, discussing the ins and outs of Rey and Ben’s relationship and what to do with the two of them. 

“Thank you guys. I know- that wasn’t an easy choice to make.” 

“No, it really wasn’t.” Poe sighed, eyes sad as he looked on at Arita. 

-

“I’ll be with you in a minute.” Rey reassured. “I just want to talk to Finn.” 

Ben nodded, and departed in a separate direction. 

Rey waited patiently for Finn to catch up with her, and when he did, they found a log to sit on together. 

“So,” he bit his lip. 

“You’re force sensitive.” She glanced at him. 

“Yeah.” Her friend rubbed the back of his neck hesitantly. “I- I wanted to tell you. It’s what I was going to tell you on Pasaana. It just didn’t seem like the right time.” 

“How long have you known?”

“I’m not sure.” He admitted. “I suppose- I’ve always known it was there. But I always thought it was just a gut instinct. But when- when I picked up a lightsaber for the first time, I just thought- it felt right. That’s what it was.”

“That’s great Finn. I’m really happy for you. It’s an incredible gift.”

“I just wish I knew what to do with it.” Her friend laughed a little. 

“I could teach you, if you’d like. Train you as a Jedi.” 

“No, no,” he immediately shook his head. “I’ve got plenty of responsibility here. And the...the feeling I have..it’s already saved people, so that’s good enough for me.”

“But the resistance won’t always be around, Finn. It’ll dissolve- already is dissolving. What will you do once there’s no be left to lead?”

“I’m not sure.” He admitted. “I’ll figure something out. Maybe- maybe I’ll go with Poe. He’s never short on adventures.” 

“As long as they’re not too dangerous.” She smiled fondly at her friend, who shoved her lightly back. 

“And you? You’re leaving with him.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Yes.”

“Because you’re in love with him.” 

“..yes.” She watched his eyes intently, for judgment. She only found confusion. 

“But why? I just- I just don’t understand. How has this happened Rey? You’ve always fought him. It’s all you ever do.” 

“I know- it’s difficult to understand.” She sighed. “I- it’s like seeing two different people. I fight with Kylo Ren, but Ben Solo’s there, under the mask. Under the defence he wears, he’s as human as the rest of us. 

‘What happened- what he did, is inexcusable. But he was neglected, and abused for as long as he could remember. He had Palpatine whispering in his ear since the day he was born. It would drive anyone mad. 

‘And yet- he’s still compassionate. And kind. Under it all, all he really wants is companionship. He followed me half way across the galaxy, trying to get me to take his hand. And I know he said it was to try and turn me to the dark side- but I’m not sure it was. I think he was trying to pull me away from it. Crushing the wayfinder, and- defending me, against Snoke, and everything. 

‘I’m not sure. Maybe it’s because we’re a Dyad. But- he stopped me from becoming what he had. What he hated. And I know that doesn’t make him a good person. He’s done some terrible things, but I just think- if you look deep down, he’s just a human, who needs someone to tell him it’s ok sometimes.”

Finn was quiet for a long time, mulling over her words. 

“I suppose,” he pondered. “Maybe you find it easier to separate Kylo Ren and Ben Solo, because...you’re the only one alive, to have seen both.”

“I’d like to change that.” 

-

“Ben.” He turned to her from where he was sat on her bed, one of her old books opened on his lap. “What are you doing?” She asked distractedly. 

“Just...browsing.” 

“Put that back.” The Jedi scolded lightly, taking it from him. 

“Hey!” He whined. “I was just appreciating your handwriting.” 

“Sap.”

“What do you want?” He asked confusedly, as she clambered back into bed. 

“I want you to put me to sleep.”

He frowned a little. 

“Why?”

“It’ll knock me out. Solid. Until I’m ready to go. Then we don’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“But you know how badly this could go? You might get so many nightmares. All of my nightmares.”

“I know.” She nodded. “But, I’m tired of going in and out. It’s frustrating.”

“You’re sure?” 

“..yes.”

“You don’t sound very sure.” He stood up. 

“I know I don’t because I’m really nervous about it so just do it before I change my-“

She was out before he’d even finished the wave of his hand. 

-

Rey felt like she was going to be sick. 

She knew, logically, that she couldn’t have been asleep for more than a few hours, but it felt like years. 

She was spinning through space, and she couldn’t stop it. There was nothing to grab onto, nothing to stop her spinning. In fact, there was nothing. No planets, or moons. Just an endless expanse of stars against a black background. 

Rey groaned and closed her eyes, willing herself to stop moving. 

She wondered if she could actually throw up in a dream. 

And then she stopped, with a jolt. Rey still felt as if she were floating, but at least she was the right way up. 

It was only then that she noticed how quiet it was. Silent- so silent that she could hear her own heart pumping. And it was pumping fast. 

Something was wrong. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was definitely something wrong. 

She tried to move, tried to look around, but the Jedi was stuck fast. 

And then she heard it. The roaring of a ship. It started of quietly, and Rey looked around to see if she could see it coming. There was nothing there. 

But it only got louder, and louder, and Rey’s heart only got faster and faster. 

She covered her ears with her hands, but it wasn’t enough, the noise felt like it was roaring in her mind, splitting her skull in two. 

Rey stumbled forward, and she was in a white corridor. A corridor she thought she recognised, but it kept changing slightly every time she looked at it more closely. 

And suddenly Rey was running. From what, she wasn’t sure, but she knew that she had to keep running- it was a matter of life and death. 

The door at the end of the corridor soon came up, and she burst through it, closing it behind her. 

Rey leant back against the door, panting and waiting. 

Her fear subsided, so she assumed whatever had been chasing her was gone. 

Rey swallowed tightly, and stepped forward into the room. 

Kylo’s chambers were almost like she remembered them, but different, in a way she couldn’t describe. 

Darth Vader’s mutilated helmet still stood pride of place, and as she stepped towards it, Rey’s heartbeat quickened once again. 

She tried to take a deep breath as she stepped towards it, before reaching out and gently touching it. 

“You’re not enough.” 

Rey gasped quietly and stepped back, snatching her hand away. She recognised that voice. 

The Jedi hesitantly put her hand out once more, making contact with the helmet. 

“You will never be enough.” Leia’s voice was angry and cold. Rey’s breath caught again. 

That couldn’t be right. Leia would never say that to anyone. 

“I trusted you.” Han sounded detached, and, slightly hurt. 

Rey had the overwhelming urge to run, but she ran her fingers over the helmet once more. 

“You’re such a disappointment. I should’ve killed you when I had the chance.” 

Luke’s voice was enough to send Rey reeling backwards, and taking off away from the helmet. But their words echoed in her head and she couldn’t seem to outrun them. 

Her heart pounded as she ran, before a flash of red light sent her skidding backwards. 

Rey watched as the end of the room darkened, red light ever glowing, and a door opened. 

“It’s the only way.” Palpatines hiss sent a shiver through Rey’s spine, and she tried to turn back. 

But the helmet deterred her from the other side of the room. She was trapped. 

“No.” Her voice came out hoarse, but the red light only seemed to be getting closer.

Rey stumbled backwards, and let out a little scream when she hit something warm and solid. 

She whipped around, eyes wide like a frightened animal. The room was gone. And there was only darkness. 

“Hey, hey it’s ok, it’s just me.” 

Only darkness, and Ben. 

“Ben,” Rey stumbled forward, and threw herself at him. 

Ben seemed taken aback for a moment, before returning the hug tightly. 

“What’s wrong?”

“This is what your nightmares are like?” She whispered brokenly. Ben tensed slightly, and he didn’t respond. His grip only tightened. “Ben..I’m so sorry.” She whispered. 

“Sorry? What have you to be sorry for?” He asked gently, running a hand soothingly up her back as she breathed in his scent. She wasn’t sure when it had become comforting, but she was glad it was. “I should be the one apologising. I shouldn’t have sent you to sleep. It was too reckless.”

“It’s not your fault.” Rey shook her head, and Ben only sighed, burying his head in the crook of her shoulder. 

“I’m sorry.” He apologised anyway. 

“It’s- it’s going to be ok. We’re going to work on it together.” She tried to reassure, her shaking not helping her to be convincing. 

“And I’ll stay here, until you’re ready to wake up.” 

The Jedi pulled back slightly, enough to look at him. 

“No, you shouldn’t. It’ll only tire you out. Then we might have to go through all of this again.”

“It won’t.” 

Rey sighed at the resoluteness in his eyes, and nodded. “Fine. But at least- let go. It’ll tire you less if we just do it normally.”

“Ok.” He nodded, and stepped back a bit. “I won’t be long.” 

She bit her lip. 

“Ben.”

“Yeah?”

Rey stepped forward again, and pushed herself up, pulling him closer and giving him a firm kiss on the lips. 

It wasn’t long enough for him to react, and when she stepped back he looked quite bewildered, even more so when he noticed the determination in Rey’s eyes. 

“I mean it. You’re never going to have enough nightmare like this. Not whilst I’m with you.” 

Ben regarded her for a second, and smiled a little. 

“I know. I believe you.”

-

Ben kept his promise, and the two of them stayed together. With all this time on their hands, they had nothing to do except talk. 

But they didn’t talk about the war. 

They spoke only of happiness. 

“When I was younger,” Ben started, one afternoon, or morning, Rey couldn’t be sure, “my mother would always get angry with my father and me.” He smiled fondly at the memory, and Rey felt as if she could melt. Every time Ben smiled, she felt herself falling deeper and deeper in love with him. Rey was ecstatic that she now had to use both hands to count how many times she’d seen it. 

“I used to sleep badly as a child. My father would take me to the Falcon, and we’d have ‘sleepovers’ in the cockpit. My mother would always tell him off, but I always thought she secretly liked seeing me in there.” 

Rey smiled wide, the image of little Ben Solo in between his parents, all happy, filled her with such a sense of indescribable joy. 

“One night, it was particularly bad. My father asked me about a dream I’d had, and I’d gotten upset. My mother found us, and she was about to tell us off, before she saw that I was crying. So, she stayed. And we all slept on the Falcon together.” 

If Ben’s eyes were slightly glassy, Rey didn’t mention it. 

“And they were both there when I woke up.” 

The Jedi smiled warmly at him, and he glanced up, returning a small upturn of the lips. 

That was 11. 

“And you? What was your childhood like?”

“Well,” she shrugged meekly. “You saw it. It wasn’t the nicest.”

“There must have been some good parts.”

Rey bit her lip, and tried to think.

“There was this one time,” she looked at the ground and smiled gently. “I must have been..I’m not sure..thirteen or fourteen. You know? That prime..teenager stage. 

‘I was basically on my own this point, it was easier. But, of course, I knew of other scavengers. I saw people when I went to Niima. And one day, I met a boy there.” 

“A boy?” Ben raised his eyebrows amusedly. 

“Yes. He was about sixteen or seventeen, and he was just passing through. But we got talking, and I fell head over heels for this boy, in about half an hour. But of course, I had no way of knowing what to do in that situation. So I did what I thought any sane person would do. I gave him a rock.”

“You gave him a rock?” He repeated. 

“Yes. And he told me he loved it. He told me it was the best present he’d ever been given. It..it was the first time I had really felt appreciated. Like what I had done was enough. It meant a lot to me.

‘Of course when he left the next day, little thirteen year old me was devastated. The love of my life had left me, and in that moment, I knew I would never be able to love, again.” Rey concluded dramatically, unable to contain the giggle at Ben’s amused smile. 

That was 12. 

“Well that’s certainly unlucky for me.” 

Rey’s smile dropped, and she blinked slowly. 

“Why?” The Jedi knew the answer she’d get, but was still not completely prepared, when he said it. 

“Because it would make this unrequited.” 

“You...you love me?” Her eyes were slightly wide, and Ben looked positively bemused. 

“Rey, I literally gave my entire life to save you, and then kept myself alive with sheer will power alone, because I couldn’t bear the thought of you dying. Yes I love you.” 

“And I love you.” She blurted out before he’d even finished his sentence. It felt good to say out loud. 

“I won’t believe you until I get a rock. And unless it’s better than the one you gave to that boy, you’ll never see me again.” He teased. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll get you the most spectacular rock.” 

“Good.” He laughed gently. 

Rey felt as if she were a puddle on the floor. 

“So..what..what does that make us? What are we?” She asked slowly. 

“A Dyad. Is that enough?” 

In the last few years, Rey had seen a lot of the galaxy. She had seen pain and suffering, and also beauty and new life. She had seen the best and worst of what the galaxy had to offer. She had seen the very stars that the Jedi kept, seen love and hatred and a power too strong for anyone to understand. 

But none of it, compared to when she looked into Ben’s eyes. Rey felt as if she were staring into the essence of the universe itself, all of the unexplainable beauty, and pain, and new beginnings, and cold ends, and a power too strong to comprehend all intertwined and packed into one person- one breathing, indescribably human, person, that saw the same in her. 

Rey had never felt honour like the honour she felt, being the person that Ben Solo loved. 

“That’s all I could ever ask for.”

-

When Rey finally awoke, she discovered she’d been under for a month. 

She’d also found out that Ben had shut himself away night and day to stay with her. That had earned him a smack over the head. And then a quick kiss. 

Finn insisted upon Rey resting for a few days, before they went anywhere. Just to make sure, he said. 

It was the second evening, when she, Poe, Finn, Ben, BB-8 and Chewie were sat around a small fire they’d created in the depths of the forest, that people had finally got talking. 

Rey learnt that they tended to spend their nights away from the main camp, collectively deciding that it was a good idea to keep Ben separate from the others. When she had joined them, for the last two nights, it had been pleasant. But usually, the group was fairly quiet. If there were conversations, they were between Rey and Ben, or everyone, excluding Ben. 

Rey had tried her best to get the two groups talking to one another, but it hadn’t worked. So she’d given up. 

This night, however, Rey was sat a little further back, head deep in a book. Ben was sat a little away from her, threading together strands of grass into a plait gently. Rey had spent the previous half an hour, admiring his gentleness and fingers work with something so delicate. It was a side of him she’d hardly seen before, and she was really interested to know where he’d learnt to plait. But then Poe had noticed and started making fun of her, so she’d hidden herself in the book.

Finn was spending his time prodding the fire, whilst Chewie rambled on about something or other. Poe, other than his teasing remarks every now and then, hadn’t said much, because he had some kind of spanner in his mouth, spending the evenings working on BB-8, who was still suffering a little damage from the several battles the brave little droid had been in. 

“So, uh...Ben,” Finn spoke up suddenly, and the two Jedi looked up from what they were doing in surprise. “This might..Y’know..be a sore subject..but, did you- uh- ever get to know..any of the stormtroopers?” 

Rey’s breath caught at the question, and she glanced at Ben to watch his reaction. He seemed to mull over Finn’s question for a moment, before answering calmly, 

“No. Not really.” Poe looked up from what he was doing, clearly interested. “I never dealt with that kind of thing. I knew vaguely where each division were..taken from, but not other than that. Why?”

“I don’t know.” Finn admitted. “I just supposed, I was thinking about the middle man. No one ever made an attempt to understand Stormptroopers. Not the rebels, or the First Order.” 

“No. I suppose not.” Ben admitted slowly. “I’m not quite sure I’m getting your point.” 

“I don’t know,” Rey’s friend sighed. “I guess I was just thinking about it all. The First Order. I mean- not everyone on there was a bad person. People were taken from their homes. People were neglected..felt like they had nowhere else to go. Felt like it was their only option. Only chance at a family.” 

The only noise was the crackling of the fire between them, and Ben nodded again. 

“Yes.” He agreed. “War always becomes..so much more complex, when you take it down to the individual.”

“Yeah. Yeah it does.” 

And the conversation was over. Rey wasn’t entirely sure, but it felt as if something had passed between the two of them. A mutual understanding, about, at least one thing. And that was good enough for now. 

“There you are!” Poe suddenly announced, rather jovially, planting BB-8 on the ground. The little droid whistled happily, and rolled experimentally, before doing rounds, circling the little group and making happy noises. 

“Good as new.” Poe smiled, clearly quite proud of himself. 

“Finally.” Rey grinned at the droid. “I really am sorry I dropped a tree on you BB-8. It wasn’t my intention.” 

The droid forgave her. 

“Why did you drop a tree on him?” Ben asked, almost amusedly. 

“They weren’t with me.” Was the rather sarcastic answer he got back.

“Ah.” 

“You still didn’t have to drop a tree on him.” Poe grumbled, from where he was polishing his spanner. 

“And you didn’t have to light speed skip the flacon but you did it anyway.” Rey shot back. 

“It was-“

“Hang on,” Ben turned to Poe. “You did what?” He asked, his voice going higher than usual. 

“I...light speed skipped the Falcon.” Poe grumbled at the spanner on his lap. 

“Why would you do that?” Ben asked incredulously. “You can’t light speed skip the Falcon!”

“That’s what I said!” Rey added. Chewie nodded in agreement. 

“It was necessary! I wouldn’t have had to light speed skip her, if you hadn’t had sent ships after me in the first place!” Poe argued. Rey almost thought he’d struck a nerve in what had previously been a pretty light hearted conversation, but Ben just shrugged. 

“If I’d known you were going to do that, maybe I wouldn’t have.”

Chewie took that particular moment to mention that Poe had also flown the ship through a solid ice wall. 

“Chewie!” Poe groaned. 

“Poe!” Ben and Rey whined back. 

“Finn?” Poe looked at his friend for help, but he only held his hands up in surrender. 

“Wasn’t anything to do with me. I was shooting.”

“Snitch.” Poe huffed, sending a half hearted glare in Chewie’s direction. 

-

Rey wasn’t expecting to be so emotional as she said goodbye to the people she’d grown to call family. 

She promised Rose they’d see one another as often as they could. She thanked Maz for everything she’d done. She told Zorri not to get into too much trouble. She left a flower at Arita’s bedside. 

She’d told Threepio he head to visit her too, and she promised to tell him stories of all the things the droid had forgotten. She’d made sure Artoo knew he was always welcome as well. 

Then she’d gotten on the Falcon. 

She watched as Ben traced his fingers over the walls of the ship, looking around slowly at the place that Rey was sure he’d once considered home. He closed his eyes at one point and took a deep breath, before smiling gently. 

It didn’t take a genius to figure out why he was smiling. Rey wasn’t even a Skywalker and she could feel the presence of all of Ben’s family that had come before him, breathing and moving in the walls of the ship. 

Poe, Finn, Chewie and BB-8 had all insisted upon taking her and Ben to Ahch-To. 

The two of them had discussed where to go, a lot. Rey had been hesitant to decide to inhabit the planet, because she figured Ben might not want all the reminders of Luke, and what had happened between them. 

But Ben assured her that he’d be fine, and if Rey wanted to learn better control of her power, that was where they should go. It would be peaceful, and they’d be mostly alone- besides the Porgs. He’d also mentioned, that if, on the off chance, anyone tried to attack them, they’d see them coming from a mile away. 

Rey was a little concerned by his ‘all business’ attitude towards the subject, and had tried to gently remind him that, this would be where they would be spending at least the foreseeable future, so she wanted him to be sure. But he’d assured her that he was. 

Rey was sat around the dejarik table in the Falcon, watching absently as Ben and Finn played a game. Finn was good, but it became increasingly clear as the game went on, that Ben had played a lot, in his youth. 

Poe was coming and going out of the cockpit, but informed the three of them that Chewie had shoved him out of the pilot seat, insisting that he knew, not only the way to Ahch-To, but the exact island that Luke had lived on. So Poe had left him mostly to it. 

He was currently leaning against a wall, watching the game absently, when Finn broke the comfortable silence. 

“So..why are you two going to Ahch-To, alone?” 

“So that I can learn how to control my powers a little better.” Rey explained, chin on her knees that were pulled up to her chest. 

“No, no I get that. But, why do you have to go to a remote planet with nothing but each other to learn that?” He asked her. It wasn’t an unkind question, and it seemed like he was genuinely curious. 

“You’ve seen it Finn. It’s dangerous if I can’t learn how to control it. Ben can help me with that. The less people around, the less worried I’ll be about hurting them, and the more I can focus on actually learning to control it.” 

“And once you’ve finished learning? What will you do then? Will you leave?” 

“Maybe. I’m not sure.” Rey shrugged. “We haven’t thought about it.” 

“I’m not sure anyone’s thought about what they were going to do after the war was done. We never thought it would end.” Poe added absently. Rey nodded a little. 

“I don’t really care what we do to be honest.” She admitted. “As long as I can see the people I care about. I’d even take being back on a bloody desert planet if it meant I could see you all.”

“That’s easily the sappiest thing you’ve ever said.” Poe scoffed. 

“I have a question.” Finn said again. 

“That does not surprise me.” Poe teased from the corner, and Finn simply ignored him. 

“Are you two going to do anything about the whole...last Jedi thing?” He snickered slightly. 

“Excuse me?” Rey did not remember her voice ever being that high. 

Poe let out a snort, and she was sure she’d never thrown a harder glare in her life. 

“Well I just thought,” Finn shrugged. “I know you want to have kids with him and-“ her friend stopped himself. “I wasn’t supposed to say that.”

“I- that’s not- what are you- I do not!” Rey stammered out defensively. 

Ben looked between the two of them, looking as embarrassed as Rey felt. 

“You do.” Finn admitted sheepishly. “I saw it, when I shook you, when I realised you- ow!” 

“My foot slipped.” Rey said icily. 

“That was cold Rey, real cold.” 

“At least I’m not a snitch.”

“So you do want to have kids with him?” Poe pestered behind her. 

“Do you want me to choke you to death, because I can.” 

“Do you want kids with her, Ben?” Finn asked. 

“Well- I-“ Ben stuttered, “I’ve..never really thought about it.”

“You will have to sooner or later. Like Finn said, you  are the last Jedi.” Poe came round to stand next to Finn, and Rey wished she could wipe the smug looks off of both of their faces. 

“And the last Skywalker. Can’t let that bloodline end.”

“I mean- I’m not really a Skywalker.”

“Yes you are. Just cuz you took the last name Solo, doesn’t make you not a Skywalker.”

“And just because you two are my friends doesn’t mean I won’t impale you with a Skywalker’s lightsaber. We could do this all day.” Rey argued back. 

“You don’t have the balls.” Poe teased. 

“It’s a finger first, Dameron. Don’t test me.” 

“Ok! Ok!” 

-

Rey was conflicted. She bit her lip as she stepped off of the Falcon and onto the rocky terrain of Ahch-To. She turned back to her friends and was filled with such sadness. 

“I don’t want you guys to leave.” She said softly, as they stepped off of the ship to join her. 

“Hey, you’ll be ok. You’ve got Ben.” Poe reassured. 

“Yeah. And you made us promise to come and see you at least once a month. You won’t miss us that much.” Finn added, with a smile, opening his arms up. 

Rey pulled them both close, and hugged them even tighter than when they’d seen each other after the battle was over. 

“I think you greatly underestimate how much I care about you guys.” She mumbled. 

“Sap.” Poe teased fondly. 

“Just..promise me you’ll be ok. Promise me you won’t put yourself in too much danger. And if you do, you have to come find me. Ok?”

“We’ll be ok Rey.” Finn reassured. “We’ve got each other.” 

“And you’ll be ok too.” Poe added, pulling away slightly to look at Rey in the eye. 

“I know.” 

“We’ll be back before you know it.” He smiled. “And by the time we are, you’d better had built a whole house that we can all stay in.” 

“With three guest bedrooms?” Rey raised an eyebrow. 

“No! Four. One for BB-8!” He grinned. 

“I’m not sure I can promise that.” She smiled. 

“Then at least promise you’ll look after yourself.” Poe said gently. 

“I will.” Rey pulled away from Finn to give her other friend a bone-crushing squeeze, which he returned. 

With reluctance, she pulled away and turned to Finn. 

“And you,” she put her hands on his shoulders. “My offer still stands. If ever you want to learn,” 

“I know. And thank you.” He smiled genuinely, and pulled her as close as possible to him. 

“No. Thank you Finn.” Rey could feel tears pricking at her eyes. “For never doubting me. Always..believing that I could do what I thought I couldn’t.” 

“And thank you,” she could feel his emotion against her chest. “For giving me something to fight for.” 

Rey pulled back and wiped her nose. 

“Oh, god. You’d better go before I lose it.” 

She looked around and saw Ben, dazed and stumbling back from what looked like the tightest hug he’d ever gotten, from Chewie. Rey laughed and threw herself at the Wookiee, who in turn squeezed her so tightly she thought her lungs might give out. 

“Chewie-“ she squeaked. “Too..tight..” he apologised and let her step back. “You look after yourself, and those boys. Don’t let them ruin the Falcon.” 

He promised her he wouldn’t, and then stepped back into said ship. 

“Hey man,” Poe frowned at Ben, as Rey took his hand. “I never asked. You’re ok with us..Y’know..using the Falcon, right? I mean, it is technically yours.” 

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. You’ll get a lot more out of her than I ever would. It’s what she was meant to do: go on adventures. Just...treat her well.” 

“If you promise to treat her well.” Poe quipped, before hopping back on the ship himself. 

BB-8 rolled over to Rey, who let go of Ben’s hand to crouch down and smile at the little droid. 

“You be careful out there BB-8. Take care of them all for me, you’re the most competent.” She grinned. The droid rolled back and forth, but made no attempt to move. 

“Go on,” she said softly. “They’re waiting for you.” 

BB-8 chirped back. 

“You don’t want to stay with me. It’ll be so much more exciting to go with them. Don’t you want to be with Poe?” She asked, frowning. 

Poe looked back, and a sadness crossed his eyes for a moment. 

“The droid gets, what the droid wants.” He sighed and stepped off of the ship, crouching down as BB-8 rolledtowards him and whirred sadly. “Hey, it’s ok. I understand. A little droid like you, you’ve had enough adventure to last you a lifetime.” 

He shook off the melancholy tone in his voice. 

“You said it yourself. I’ll be back, every month to see you. It’ll be like I was never gone.” 

BB-8 chirped once more, and rolled back to Rey, turning back to watch the men leave. 

Poe stood and sighed, before turning and making his way back into the ships doorway. 

“Come on Finn. Time to go.” He said softly. Finn nodded, and made his way back up the walkway, looking quite reluctant. 

Rey stood and watched, before calling. 

“Wait! Guys!” 

“Yeah?” Finn asked. 

“I love you.” 

“Don’t say that Rey.” Poe scolded softly. “That makes it sound like you’re saying goodbye.”

-

“There you are.”

Rey looked behind her, and smiled softly. She turned back around to face the horizon, legs swinging on the rock she was sat on. 

“Sorry. I didn’t wake you, did I?” She asked, as Ben sat next to her. 

“No.” He shook his head. Rey reached across and took his hand. Ben looked down at their intertwined fingers, clearly feeling the cold thing between their palms. He pulled his hand away, only to find a grey-blue, smooth, oval pebble in his hand. 

He looked at it for a moment, before grinning and holding it up to look at. 

“You got me a rock.” He pointed out happily. 

“More magnificent than the one I gave that boy.” Rey smiled warmly. Ben pocketed the stone carefully, and smiled genuinely at her. 

“I love it”. He intertwined their fingers again, pulling her hand up to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to it. “What are you thinking about?”

“I don’t know.” The Jedi admitted. “The future I suppose. I mean, what are we going to do once I’ve learnt how to control my power?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. There’s no rush for us.” He reassured. 

“No.” She shook her head slowly. “No, you’re right. There is no rush.” 

They watched as the two suns peaked over the horizon of the endless water, and Rey smiled. 

“I always liked sunrise here. It’s the only time you can really see the suns- it’s almost always cloudy.”

“Two suns.” Ben pointed out softly beside her. 

“Mhm. Two suns. One moon. It’s beautiful.” 

“Most planets are.” Her partner said quietly beside her. “We’ve just never taken the time to appreciate them.” 

Rey nodded slowly. 

“It’s never a bad time to start.” 

They were quiet for a moment. 

“I’ve always felt bad for planets with one sun. Or one moon.” Ben considered quietly. Their conversation was hushed, as if they didn’t want to disturb the rising suns and the landscape around them. “It must be so lonely.”

“It doesn’t have to be.” She glanced at him. “No one has to be lonely.” 

Ben didn’t say anything for a while. He squeezed her hand and she glanced up. The Jedi captured her lips in a small kiss, one that didn’t last for long. But Rey could still feel the meaning and emotion behind it seeping from his very breath, into her body, swallowing her insides with a warm feeling, that she wished would stay forever. 

Rey smiled at him tenderly, before sitting back and falling back into silence again. The two of them watched the sunlight creep up the mountains. 

“Rey?”

“Mhm?”

“You’ve seen force ghosts?” 

She looked at him, and frowned slightly. 

“Yes. Lukes.” 

“I’m not sure if it’s something you can teach..but..could we try? I’ve never seen one, and I’d like to try too. Just for..some closure.” 

“Of course. We can try.” She sat back, and squeezed his hand. 

He squeezed back. 

“There’s no rush.” He repeated softly. “For now, being able to be with you is enough.”

“You’re with me?” She asked, almost teasingly. Rey knew the answer she’d get, she just wanted him to say it. 

Ben breathed a laugh, and looked at her, as the sunlight fell onto the rock they were sat on, cascading the pair of them in a new light. A golden light that was neither blue, nor red. 

“I’m with you.” 


End file.
